Wire feeding mechanism for bird tying machine



Se t. 22, 1964 G. c. ANDERSON ETAL 3,149,557

WIRE FEEDING MECHANISM FOR BIRD mus MACHINE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 11, 1962 Sept. 22, 1964 G. c. ANDERSON ETAL 3,149,557

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United States Patent 3,149,557 WEE FEEDING EEHANEM 1 6R B TYHNG MACHHNE Gerald C. Anderson, Gordon Mommsen, and Thomas L. Schuette, Minneapolis, Melvin .i. Strauh, Hopkins, and Robert A. Zimmerman, Minneapolis, Minn, assignors to Gordon Johnson Company, Kansas City, Mo, a corporation of Missouri Filed June 11, 1962, Ser. No. 2til,499 2d (Jlaims. (Cl. NHL-8) This invention relates to a machine for automatically tying the legs of a bird to the tail thereof by the use of a pair of shiftable needles which are projected about the legs and tail and which carry an initially V-shaped Wire having projections on the ends capable of being coupled with the needles so that the wire may be looped around the legs and tail in response to the movement of the needles and the ends of the wire may be subsequently twisted together to bind said legs and tail.

More specifically, the present invention is directed to mechanism for automatically feeding the wire into the path of travel of the needles so that the wire will be engaged by, and coupled with the needles as the latter are moved, to thereby become looped about the legs and tail when the needles embrace said legs and tail.

It is the primary object of the present invention to provide a wire feeding mechanism for a machine of the aforesaid character for automatically feeding a wire of the type described into the paths of travel of the needles of the machine whereby manual feeding of the wire to the needles is obviated, thus permitting operator attention to be directed substantially solely to the placing of the bird to be tied in a predetermined position with respect to the needles.

Another object of the present invention is the provision of a wire feeding mechanism for wires of the type described, wherein the mechanism includes means for receiving the projections on an individual wire and urging the projections and thereby the Wire along a path of travel from a stored position to a location adjacent the paths of travel of the needles whereby the projections on the wires may be utilized for advancing the latter, as well as for intercoupling the wires to the needles, thus precluding the need for additional structure on either the mechanism or the wire for advancing the latter.

A further object of the present invention is the provision of a wire feeding mechanism for a machine of the above described character, wherein the mechanism includes a wire storage magazine and a shiftable wire-carrying member normally positioned below the magazine and movable between the latter and a position adjacent the paths of travel of the needles whereby the wires in the magazine may be removed one-by-one from the bottom thereof and advanced into the paths of travel of the needles according to a timed sequence dependent upon the positions of the needles, thus requiring that operator attention he directed only to the maintaining of a quantity of wires in the magazine.

Yet another object of the present invention is the provision of a wire feeding mechanism of the type described, wherein the magazine may be replenished with wires as the machine continues to operate whereby no lost time results due to machine shutdown for magazine stocking purposes, thus assuring that the number of birds tied per unit time remains substantially high and is limited only by the rate at which birds may be delivered to the machine and by the reaction times of the leg-tying portions of the machine.

Other objects of this invention will become apparent as the following specification progresses, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of the wire feeding mechanism of the present invention and illustrating the manner of use thereof on a machine for tying the legs of a bird to the tail thereof, parts being broken away and in section to illustrate details of construction;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged, side elevational view of the wire feeding mechanism, parts being broken away and in section to illustrate details of construction;

FIG. 3 is a top plan view of the wire feeding mechanism and illustrating a wire storage mechanism and a wire-carrying member for advancing V-shaped wires oneby-one from the magazine to a position within the paths of travel of a pair of needles forming a part of the bird tying machine;

FIG. 4 is a front elevational View of a portion of the wire feeding mechanism and illustrating structure above the wire-carrying member for providing minimum clearance for wires carried toward said needles by said member;

FIG. 5 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 55 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 6 is a cross-sectional view taken along line 66 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 7 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line 7-7 of FIG. 3;

FIG. 8 is a plan view of the forward end of the wirecarrying member and illustrating recesses therein for receiving the eyelets or projections on the ends of the wire to be carried thereby;

FIG. 9 is an enlarged, cross-sectional view taken along line 9-9 of FIG. 8;

FIG. 10 is an enlarged, fragmentary, rear elevational view of a portion of the wire storage magazine illustrating the gate means for retaining the wires in the magazine, parts being broken away and in section to illustrate details of construction; and

FIG. 11 is a fragmentary, elevational view of the needles and their positions before and after embracing the hunched legs of a bird.

The wire feeding mechanism which forms the subject of the present invention is broadly denoted by the numeral it) and is best illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3 of the drawings. Mechanism 10 includes a support 12 in the nature of a pair of elongated, spaced track elements 14 and 16, elements 14 and 16 being clearly illustrated in FIGS. 4, 6 and 7. Elements l4 and 16 are each pro vided with a lowermost section 18, and an uppermost section 2i secured to section 18 by a number of machine screws 22, as is clear in FIG. 2. Each section 20 is provided with a recess 24 therein defining a groove extending the length of the corresponding element 14 or 16. It is noted that sections 18 and 20 of each element 14 or 16 may be integral with each other with the recess 24 formed therein in any suitable manner.

A wire-carrying member 26 is carried by track elements 14 and 16 for movement longitudinally of the latter between the ends thereof. Member 26 includes an elongated body 28 which is slidably received at the longitudinal edges thereof within recesses 24 of elements 14 and 16 as is clear in FIGS. 6 and 7. Member 26 also includes a stripper bar 30 secured to the upper surface of body 28 by means of a number of machine screws 32 as is clear in FIG. 7. The width of stripper bar 36 is less than the width of body 28, although bar 36 is slightly longer in length than body 28.

Bar 31) is provided with a pair of spaced ribs 34 thereon adjacent the longitudinal edges thereof. Ribs 34 are provided with angularly disposed, upper surfaces 36 and 38 as is clear in FIG. 7, surfaces 36 and 38 intersecting along a longitudinally extending apex on the corresponding rib 34.

Stripper bar 30 is provided with a pair of arms 41 integral therewith and coextensive with ribs 34 thereof at one end of bar 31 as is clear in FIG. 8. Arms 40 project outwardly from one end of bar 30, it being noted in FIG. '2 that the opposite and of bar 311 terminates substantially at the same location as the corresponding end of body 28.

Each arm 40 is provided with a recess 42 therein and an insert 44 disposed within the recess 42. A machine screw 46 removably secures insert 44 within the cone sponding recess 42, each insert 44 having a boss 48 on the upper surface thereof. A bore 50 extends through the bottom of each arm 49 for receiving a suit-able tool for ejecting insert 44 from recess 42 when screw 46 has been removed from the corresponding arm 46). It is noted that recesses 42 of arms 41) are offset with respect to each other as is clear in FIG. 8.

Means is carried by support 12 for shifting member 26 and includes a piston and cylinder assembly broadly denoted by the numeral 52. As shown in FIG. 2, assembly 52 includes a cylinder 54 having a piston (not shown) therein operably coupled to a piston rod 56 extending outwardly from cylinder 54 in a direction away from arms 40 of bar 30. Cylinder 54 is secured at the end thereof opposite to the end through which piston rod 56 extends to a block 57 secured in any suitable manner to track elements 14 and 16 at the normally forwardmost ends of the latter, as is clear in FIG. 4, cylinder 54 being preferably pivotally mounted on block 57 by means of a pin 59 extending through sections 18 of elements 14 and 16 and through block 57 as is clear in FIG. 2. A coupler 58 interconnects piston rod 56 to the proximal end of body 28.

Hose connections 61) and 62 are operably coupled with cylinder 54 at the opposite ends thereof for directing a fluid under pressure to cylinder 54 when it is desired to actuate the piston therewithin. For instance, if it is desired to shift coupler 58 away from cylinder 54, fluid is delivered through pipe connection 60 to force the piston in the corresponding direction. Conversely, if it is desired to shift coupler 58 toward cylinder 54-, fluid under pressure is directed through pipe connections 62 and into the cylinder 54 to force the piston in the correspondingly opposite direction. Member 26 is mounted on track elements 14 and 16 so that arms 40 of bar 30 project outwardly from support 12 at the end thereof adjacent pipe connection 60 as is clear in FIG. 2 when coupler 58 is at the end of the path of travel thereof adjacent pipe connection 62. Conversely, arms 40 of bar 30 are disposed intermediate the ends of track elements 14 and 16 when coupler 58 is at the end of its path of travel remote from pipe connection 62. It is to be noted that a block 64 is secured to the ends of track elements 14 and 16 as is clear in FIG. 2, by machine screws 66 to maintain track elements 14 and 16 in spaced relationship to each other, and to mount a stop member in the nature of a stud 68 which passes through block 64- and projects outwardly therefrom between track elements 14 and 16. A nut 70 is threaded to the outer end of stud 68 and, therefore, provides adjustment means for stud 68, the latter being disposed for engaging the corresponding ends of body 28 and bar 39 for limiting the path of travel thereof in the direction toward block 64. A transversely U-shaped cover 71 is removably disposed over support 12 adjacent the 4 normally rearmost ends of track elements 14 and 16 as is clear in FIGS. 1 and 2.

A wire storage magazine broadly denoted by the numeral 72, is carried on support 12 between track elements 14 and 16 and above the latter. Magazine 72 includes an elongated, flat plate 74 secured along one marginal edge to a pair of elongated beams 76 and 78 by any suitable means, such as machine screws or the like as is clear in FIG. 3.

A pair of channel members 80 and 82 are secured to the normally front faces of beams 76 and 78 respectively for mounting beams 76 and 73 on track elements 14- and 16 respectively, it being clear that channel members 80 and 82 are secured to the sides of elements 14 and 16 by machine screws 84, as is clear in FIG. 2, and to beams 76 and 78 by machine screws 86, as is clear in FIG. 3. It is evident, therefore, that plate '74 is mounted uprightly on support 12 substantially midway between track elements 14 and 16 as is clear in FIGS. 3, 4, 6 and 7. Furthermore, beams 76 and 73 are offset with respect to each other as illustrated in FIG. 3, and are provided with elongated grooves 88 and 90 respectively therein for receiving the eyelets or projections 92 on the ends of each of a number of substantially V-shaped wires 94 which embrace the sides of plate 74, as is illustrated in FIG. 3.

Wires 94 are each provided with a bight 96 adjacent the upright, longitudinal edge of plate 74 opposite to the longitudinal edge secured to beams 76 and 78. Wires 94 are stacked one above the other as is clear in FIG. 1, with the eyelets or projections 92 being in stacked, vertical relationship one with the other. A bight-engaging stretch 98 having a bight-receiving notch 10%? therein, as shown in FIGS. 3 and 7, is disposed on sections 211 of elements 14 and 16 transverse to the direction of movement of member 26. Machine screws 102 secure stretch 28 to sections 26 with the notch thereof in underlying relationship with the bigh'ts 96 of wires 94 disposed on plate 74. As shown in FIG. 7, the lowermost edge of plate 74 is spaced above the bottom of notch 1% by a distance equal to the diameter of wire 94. This assures that only a single wire 94 is capable of being stripped from place 74 at any one time.

A pair of shiftable gates 104 and 1156 in the nature of elongated metallic strips are provided on beams 76 and 78 respectively. Gates 104 and 106 are provided with L-shaped slots 1% and 111 therein for receiving pins 112 and 114 on beams 76 and 78 respectively, so that gates 104 and 1416, which normally partially close grooves 88 and 919 as is clear in FIG. 3, may be moved into positions clearing grooves 88 and 90 to facilitate the placement of a number of vertically stacked wires 94 in magazine 72. Handles 116 and 118 on gates 104 and 1&6 facilitate the shifting of the latter to clear grooves 88 and 91).

Gates 104 and 106 terminate in spaced relationship to the upper surfaces of sections 29 of elements 14 and 16. Fixed gates 1211, as illustrated in FIGS. 1, 2 and 6, are secured to the lowermost ends of beams 76 and 78 and terminate in close proximity to the upper surfaces of sections 29 as is clear in FIG. 6, it being noted that one of the fixed gates 120 has been removed in FIG. 6 to illustrate the relative positions of the vertically stacked eyelets 92. The purpose of fixed gates 12% is to preclude accidental removal of wires 94 adjacent the lower extremity of plate '74 when gates 104 and 106 are shifted into positions clearing grooves 88 and 90.

As shown in FIG. 4, channel members 80 and 82 are cut away to present lowermost edges 122 and 124 respectively, spaced above support 12 a considerable distance. It is noted, however, that beams 76 and 78 extend below edges 122 and 124 respectively, and terminate, as is clear in FIGS. 5 and 6, in spaced relationship above member 26.

A pair of substantially rectangular blocks 126 and 12-8 are secured to the front faces of beams 76 and 78 respectively adjacent the lower extremities thereof. As

shown in FIG. 5, each of said blocks 126 and 128 is transversely L-shaped so that the corresponding beam 76 or 78 may be readily coupled therewith. Each of said blocks 126 and 128 is provided with a groove 132 therein which is vertically aligned with the groove in the corresponding beam to receive eyelets or projections 92 of wires 94 carried in magazine 72.

The lowermost marginal edges of blocks 126 and 128 terminate in close proximity to the upper surface of bar 30, and it is to be noted in FIG. 4 that blocks 126 and 126 are provided with irregular, lowermost surfaces thereon which present transversely V-shaped configurations. The apex of the V-shaped, lowermost surface of each of the blocks 126 and 128 is directly above and slightly out of contact with the apex formed by surfaces 36 and 36 of the corresponding rib 34 on bar 30.

As is clear in FIG. 5, fixed gates 120 extend below the lowermost edges of corresponding beams 76 and 76 and terminate slightly above the lowermost marginal edges of the corresponding blocks 126 and 128.

A fluid-actuated vibrating device 134 is secured by means of a bracket 136 to one of the fixed gates 120, and extends outwardly therefrom as is clear in FIG. 3. De vice 134 imparts a vibratory motion of extremely low amplitude to the corresponding gate 120, to the corresponding beam 76 or 7 8, and to plate 74 to vibrate wires 94 on plate 74 and prevent the wires from adhering to each other or becoming entangled. Preferably, device 134 is actuated by the same fluid which actuates assembly 52 and may be coupled with a pipe connection 137 which is operably coupled with connection 66 so that device 134 is actuated when fluid is delivered to the corresponding end of cylinder 54.

A pair of L-shaped brackets 138 and 140 are secured to elements 14 and 16 adjacent the normally forwardmost ends of the latter. Brackets 138 and 140 present spaces 142 as shown in FIG. 4, for receiving a cover plate 144 which extends from blocks 126 and 128 forwardly of the latter and projects outwardly from the corresponding ends of track elements 14 and 16, as is clear in FIGS. 3 and 4. The outermost end of plate 144 is of an arcuate configuration and extends upwardly as is evident in FIG. 2. Arms 40 of bar 30 extend outwardly of the vertical plane in which the outermost end of cover plate 144 lies. A pair of spring clips 146 are carried by brackets 138 and 140 and engage ribs 148 on the upper surface of plate 144 to releasably maintain plate 144 in the position illus-' trated in FIG. 3. Bar 30 is in relatively close proximity to, but spaced below the lower surface of cover plate 144 so as to be freely movable relative thereto. A pair of strips 150 of resilient, metallic material is carried on the lower surface of plate 144 by rivets 152 and extend outwardly in a direction parallel to the longtudinal axis of plate 144 as is clear in FIG. 3. Strips 156 normally partially overlie recesses 42 of arms 40 when bar 30 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 3.

Mechanism is adapted for use with a bird tying machine broadly denoted by the numeral 154 and illus trated in FIG. 1. Machine 154 includes a housing 156 supported by legs 158 above a surface 166. Housing 156 is provided with an access door 162 for gaining entrance thereinto. A control panel 164 is secured to the normally front face of housing 156 adjacent door 162.

Housing 156 is further provided with a top surface 166 on which a bird to be tied is supported. Surface 166 is provided with an opening 168 therein through which an elongated, transversely channel-shaped post 1'76 extends at an angle slightly inclined from the vertical. Post 170 extends into housing 156 and terminates at, and is secured to a platform 172 forming a part of housing 156.

A pair of elongated needles 174 and 176 are shiftably carried by post 1719 for movement along the length of the latter. Structure broadly denoted by the numeral 178, is operably coupled with post 170 below surface 166 for shifting needles 174 and 176 from a stored position illustrated in FIG. 1, through an aligned opening 168 in surface 166, and to positions extending outwardly of housing 156 above surface 166 thereof as shown in dashed lines in FIG. 11. As shown in FIG. 3, the vertical planes in which needles 174 and 176 lie, are parallel, and needles 174 and 176 crisscross at a point directly below, but in close proximity to surface 166. Structure 178 includes a piston and cylinder assembly 186 which is adapted to be operably coupled to a source of fluid under pressure, the piston rod of assembly 180 being operably coupled with needles 174 and 176 for forcing the latter upwardly simultaneously.

As is clear in FIG. 3, the upper ends of needles 1'74 and 176 are notched at 175, 177 respectively, for receiving proximal portions of a wire 94 disposed within the paths of travel of needles 174 and 176.

Machine 154 is provided with a tail-engaging element 182 which is shiftable toward and away from surface 166 by a piston and cylinder assembly 134 disposed between the sides of post 170, as is clear in FIG. 1. Element 182 is disposed for holding the tail of the bird clamped against surface 166 to facilitate the tying of the legs of the bird to the tail thereof.

A channel-shaped member 186 is shiftably carried on post by suitable power-actuated means similar to assembly 184, and is provided with a lowermost, hock-em gaging edge 188 for shifting the legs of a bird downwardly and inwardly toward the tail of the bird into a hunched position as member 166 moves toward surface 166.

Wire-twisting means broadly denoted by the numeral 190, is carried by member 136 for movement toward surface 166 and is disposed for twisting the ends of a wire 94 after the wire has been looped around the legs and tail of the bird on surface 166 in response to the upward movement of needles 174 and 176.

A mounting bracket 192 is secured to post 176 between the sides thereof and below surface 166. Bracket 192 is provided with groove means (not shown) therein for receiving a mounting plate 194 rigid to track elements 14 and 16 adjacent the forwardmost ends thereof as is clear in FIGS. 1, 2 and 3. A pair of screws (not shown) rigid to hand wheels 196, illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, are threadedly received within plate 194 and secure the latter to bracket 192. In the operative position illustrated in FIG. 1, the longitudinal axis of wire-carrying member 26, is substantially perpendicular to the paths of travel of needles 174 and 176 so that plate 74 is in a position slightly inclined from the vertical. It is noted in FIG. 3 that arms 46 of bar 30 are spaced apart a distance suflicient to permit needles 174 and 176 to pass therebetween as the needles project upwardly and outwardly of housing 156. Additional means for holding the bird in a fixed position on surface 166 includes a probe 198 which is shiftably mounted on post 176 in any suitable manner for movement through an aligned opening (not shown) in surface 166 thereabove. A piston and cylinder assembly 206 is disposed for forcing probe 193 upwardly and into the bird disposed on surface 166.

In operation, a bird to be tied is placed upon surface 166 on its back with the tail thereof adjacent post 170. Element 182 is shifted downwardly to clamp the tail of the bird to surface 166, and member 166 is shifted downwardly to cause edge 1855 to engage the hooks of the bird to shift the legs of the latter downwardly and inwardly toward the tail. Probe 198 is also driven into the back of the bird to prevent rotation of the bird as the latter is clamped by element 182.

It is assumed that a wire 94 is in the position illustrated in FIG. 3 in overlying relationship to needles 174 and 176. As the needles 174 and 176 move upwardly upon the actuation of assembly 186, the ends of wire 94 are engaged within the notches of the needles and are di rected against the back of the bird. As the needles continue upwardly the ends of the wire tend to slip with the notches, but the eyelets or projections 92 engage the ends of the needles and become hooked within the notches thereof so that the wire is carried upwardly through portions of the back of the bird in substantially looped relationship to the tail. The wire is carried further upwardly by needles 174 and 176 as the latter moves into positions on opposed sides of the hunched legs thereof as shown in FIG. 11. Since the needles pass on opposed sides of the legs of the bird, the wire carried with the needles is looped about the legs and tail so that the ends of the wire may be engaged by wire-twisting means 190 after the needles have been retracted so as to twist the ends of the wire together and thus tie the legs of the bird to the tail thereof. it is to be noted that structure is provided on means 198 for retaining the ends of the wire thereon as needles 174 and 176 retract into housing 156.

It is to be noted that the upwardly flared end of cover plate 144 facilitates the movement of a wire 94 upwardly in response to the upward movement of needles 174 and 176 since the wire engages the convex surface of plate 144 at the flared end thereof and is bent uniformly along such surface as the wire is moved upwardly by needles and until bight 9d of the wire has moved past the flared end of plate 144 and into engagement with the bird. After a wire 94 has been moved into looped relationship with the legs and tail of the bird disposed on surface 1.66, piston and cylinder assembly 52 is then actuated to shift member 26 away from surface 166 to a position such that recesses 42 in arms 40 directly underlie grooves 132 of blocks 126 and 128. By proper adjustment of stud 68, member 26 can be made to stop at the precise location beneath magazine 72. The eyelets 92 of the lowermost wire 94 in magazine '72, are thus capable of gravitating into recesses 42 and into surrounding relationship to the bosses 48 of inserts 44. It is noted that the bight of the lowermost wire 94 engages stretch 98 within the notch 1% thereof.

Actuation of piston and cylinder assembly 52 in the opposite direction is sufficient to shift member 26 forwardly, member 26 carrying the lowermost wire 94 forwardly therewith until the wire is in the position illustrated in FTG. 3 with the ends thereof overlying the paths of travel of needles 1'74 and 176. The bight of the lowermost wire 94 is free to move between the lowermost edge of plate 74 and the bottom surface of notch 100 as bar 3d moves forwardly, it being clear that wire 94 is urged forwardly by virtue of the fact that eyelets 92 are seated within recesses 42 and surround bosses 48.

As member 26 moves through the wire feeding cycle, device 134 is actuated to impart vibratory motion to plate '74. After the lowermost wire 94 has moved to the position overlying needles 174 and 17%, the wire is in condition to be moved upwardly about the legs and tail of another bird placed upon surface 166. The operation of piston and cylinder assembly 52 is synchronized with the operations of the various moving pasts of machine the operations of the various moving parts of machine 154 so that a wire 94 is always in position prior to the upward movement of needles 1'74 and 176.

It is preferred that eyelets 92 of each wire 94 be coplanar with the major portion of the corresponding wire. If an eyelet were to be out of the plane of the major portion of the corresponding wire 94, the wire would still feed forwardly with bar 30 by virtue of the configuration of the lowermost surfaces of blocks 126 and 128. Such lowermost surfaces provide a minimum obstruction to eyelets 92, but serve to force the eyelets into recesses 42 in the event that the eyelets are not substantially coplanar with the major portion of the corresponding wire. Thus, shutdown time, due to the jamming of the wires in the vicinity of magazine '72, is minimized. Also, the configuration of the lowermost surfaces of blocks 126 and 123 serves to retain the next lowermost wire 94 within the stack of wires in magazine 72 since, as is illustrated in FIG. 5, the eyelets 92 of the lowermost wire 94 rest on the apex formed by surfaces 36' and 38 of the corresponding rib 34 until recesses 42 are moved into underlying relationship to to the eyelets.

As the stock of wires 94 in magazine 72 becomes depleted, the operator of machine 10 may place additional wires 94 about plate 74. To accomplish this, the upper level of the wires 94 must be below the upper extremities of fixed gates 120. Shiftable gates 104 and 106 are moved into positions clearing grooves 88 and 90, and wires are then disposed about plate 74 with the eyelets of the wires received within the grooves. Means may be provided for inserting a large number of wires in magazine 72 and closing gates 104 and 106 so that very little time is expended in replenishing the supply of wires 94 in magazine 72.

It is evident that mechanism 10 provides an automatic wire feed means for machine 154 which obviates operator attention except for the maintaining of a supply of wires in magazine 72. The operator is free to manipulate the birds to be tied without handling the wires in any manner. Preferably, machine 154 is disposed adjacent a conveyor carrying birds to be tied so that the operator may lift the birds from the conveyor onto surface 166 and into position with respect to element 182 and member 186. A foot pedal 202 is preferably provided for machine 154 so that the machine may be actuated by the foot of the operator to thereby leave the hands of the operator free to handle only the birds to be tied.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In a machine for tying the legs of a bird with a substantially V-shaped wire having a pair of legs each terminating in a head:

a pair of needles; means mounting said needles for movement to and from a position embracing the legs of a bird;

a storage magazine for a number of said wires;

a feeder for removing the wires individually from the magazine and advancing the same to a position within the path of travel of the needles; and

means on the needles and engageable with the heads a for moving the wires about said legs as said needles are moved.

2. The invention of claim 1, said feeder being movable in a predetermined plane, each of said needles being movable in a preselected plane, the plane of movement of said feeder intersecting the planes of movement of said needles.

3. The invention of claim 1, wherein said needles are notched at the ends thereof to provide the wireengaging means therefor, the heads of an individual wire adapted to be hooked within said notches to couple the wire to said needles as the latter are moved.

4. The invention of claim 1, wherein said feeder is disposed for shifting movement from a position underlying said magazine to a position adjacent the paths of travel of said needles.

5. In a machine for tying the legs of a bird with a substantially V-shaped wire having projections thereon adjacent the ends thereof:

a support including a surface for supporting said bird;

a pair of needles normally carried by said support below said surface and movable relative to the support into positions embracing said legs;

means on said support for shifting said needles into said positions; and

a feeder for advancing said wire into the paths of travel of said needles, said feeder including a wirecarrying member shiftably mounted on said support, and means on said support and operably coupled with said member for shifting the latter in a direction to position said projections adjacent said paths of travel, there being means on said needles and engageable with said projections for retaining the latter and thereby said wire on the needles as the latter are moved into said leg-embracing positions, whereby said wire is moved into a location looped about said legs.

6. In a machine as set forth in claim 5, wherein said member is disposed on said support for movement substantially transversely on the path of travel of said needles.

7. In a machine as set forth in claim 5, wherein said member is provided with recess means therein for receiving said projections, whereby said wire is shifted relative to said support in response to the movement of said member.

8. In a machine for tying the legs of a bird with a substantially V-shaped wire having projections thereon adjacent the ends thereof:

' a support including a surface for supporting said bird;

a pair of needles normally carried by said support below said surface and movable relative to said support into positions embracing said legs;

means on said support and operably coupled with said needles for shifting the latter into said positions;

a wire storage magazine carried by said support in spaced relationship to said surface; and

a feeder on said support for advancing one of said wires from said magazine into the paths of travel of said needles, said feeder including a wire-carrying member mounted on said support for movement in a direction substantially transverse to the paths of travel of said needles, and means on said support and operably coupled with said member for shifting the latter from a wire-receiving location beneath said magazine toward said surface and into a location with said projections disposed adjacent said paths of travel, said needles having means thereon engageable with said projections for retaining the latter and thereby said wire on the needles as the latter are moved into said leg-embracing positions, whereby said wire is moved into looped relationship about said legs.

9. In a machine as set forth in claim 8, wherein is included track means carried by said support and extending laterally therefrom for shiftably mounting said member on said support.

10. In a machine as set forth in claim 9, wherein said track means includes a pair of spaced, generally parallel grooved track elements, said member shifting means being disposed between said elements, said member having a pair of opposed edges disposed within the grooves of said track elements.

11. In a machine as set forth in claim 9, wherein said magazine includes a plate, and means for mounting said plate uprightly on said track means in overlying relationship to the path of movement of said member.

12. In a machine as set forth in claim 11, wherein the plane of said plate is substantially perpendicular to the plane of movement of said member, said plate being provided with a longitudinal edge remote from said surface and disposed for mounting a number of Wires thereon in vertically stacked relationship thereto with the bight of said wires being positioned along said longitudinal edge.

13. In a machine as set forth in claim 12, wherein is included a bight-engaging stretch carried by said track means beneath said longitudinal edge in spaced relationship thereto.

14. In a machine as set forth in claim 12, wherein said plate is provided with a power-actuated vibrator thereon, said vibrator being disposed for vibrating said plate to thereby maintain each of said wires disentangled from adjacent Wires on said plate.

15. In a machine as set forth in claim 11, wherein said plate-mounting means includes a pair of spaced, upright beams secured to said track means, said plate being dis- I0 posed between and secured to said beams adjacent one longitudinal edge of the plate.

16. In a machine as set forth in claim 15, said beams being provided with groove means thereon along the lengths thereof for receiving the projections of said wires when the latter are disposed on said plate, there being means shiftably carried by each beam for partially covering said groove means to thereby releasably maintain said projections therein.

17. In a machine as set forth in claim 8, wherein said member is provided with spaced recess means thereon for receiving the projections of the corresponding wire when said member is in said wire-receiving location.

18. In a machine as set forth in claim 17, said member having a main body portion and a pair of spaced, generally parallel arms extending outwardly from said body and disposed on opposed sides of the paths of travel of said needles when said member has moved into the location with said projections adjacent said paths of travel, said recess means being disposed in said arms.

19. In a machine as set forth in claim 8, wherein said member is provided with a pair of spaced, generally parallel ribs extending substantially the length thereof, each of said ribs having a pair of angularly disposed, uppermost surfaces joined together and forming an apex at the junctions thereof, and wherein is included a block carried by said support above a corresponding rib, said blocks each being provided with a transversely V-shaped, lowermost surface having an apex vertically aligned with the apex formed by the surfaces of the corresponding rib.

20. In a machine as set forth in claim 19, there being recess means in said ribs for receiving the projections of a corresponding wire from said magazine when said member is in said wire-receiving location.

21. In a machine having a pair of shiftable needles provided with wire-engaging means thereon and adapted for looping a substantially V-shaped wire having projections thereon at the ends thereof about the legs of a bird as the needles are shifted into positions embracing said legs, means for feeding a wire to the needles to dispose the wire for subsequent movement about said leg, said means including:

a support having a portion adapted to be disposed adjacent the paths of travel of said needles;

a wire storage magazine carried by said support in spaced relationship to said portion and provided with grooves therein for receiving the projections of a number of said wires in a vertically stacked relationship; and

a feeder on said support and normally disposed below said magazine for advancing the lowermost one of said wires from said magazine toward said portion to dispose the wire in said paths of travel, said feeder including a shiftable wire-carrying member having means thereon alignable with said grooves for receiving the projections of said lowermost wire, and power-actuated means operably coupled with said member for shifting the latter from a Wire-receiving location beneath said magazine toward said portion and into a location with said projections disposed adjacent said paths of travel, whereby the wire-engaging means of said needles may engage said wire and loop the same about said legs as said needles are shifted to the leg-embracing positions thereof.

22. In a machine as set forth in claim 21, wherein said support includes a pair of spaced track elements, said member being operably coupled with said elements and shiftable relative thereto, said magazine being secured to said elements and disposed substantially midway therebetween.

23. In a machine as set forth in claim 21, said projection-receiving means on said member including structure provided with a pair of spaced recesses adapted to receive the projections of the lowermost wire when the member is disposed with said recesses in underlying relationship to the grooves in said magazine.

1 1 24. In a machine as set forth in claim 23, wherein is included an insert removably disposed within each recess, each insert having'a projection engaging boss there- 011.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 1,261,589 Morgan Apr. 2, 1918 12 Curtis Aug. 18, 1925 Treat May 19, 1931 Graham Nov. 26, 1935 Gray June 21, 1955 Rice July 8, 1958 Brown Dec. 16, 1958 Lntz Aug. 11, 1959 Peeky Oct. 16, 1962 

1. IN A MACHINE FOR TYING THE LEGS OF A BIRD WITH A SUBSTANTIALLY V-SHAPED WIRE HAVING A PAIR OF LEGS EACH TERMINATING IN A HEAD: A PAIR OF NEEDLES; MEANS MOUNTING SAID NEEDLES FOR MOVEMENT TO AND FROM A POSITION EMBRACING THE LEGS OF A BIRD; A STORAGE MAGAZINE FOR A NUMBER OF SAID WIRES; A FEEDER FOR REMOVING THE WIRES INDIVIDUALLY FROM THE MAGAZINE AND ADVANCING THE SAME TO A POSITION WITHIN THE PATH OF TRAVEL OF THE NEEDLES; AND MEANS ON THE NEEDLES AND ENGAGEABLE WITH THE HEADS FOR MOVING THE WIRES ABOUT SAID LEGS AS SAID NEEDLES ARE MOVED. 